Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him.
Parallel translations
- KJV Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
- BSB Now all the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around to listen to Jesus.
- NKJV Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.
- NASB Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near Jesus to listen to Him.
- NLT Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Tax collectors and sinners draw near to hear Jesus. The outcasts are eager for His teaching and welcome.
Overview
Tax collectors and 'sinners' were despised and excluded by the religious establishment. Their eagerness to come close to Jesus shows the appeal of His gracious welcome. This sets the stage for the three parables of God's seeking love for the lost.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 1 Tim 1:15The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
- Matt 9:10–13As he sat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.
- Luke 5:29–32Levi made a great feast for him in his house. There was a great crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining with them.
- Matt 21:28–31But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, ‘Son, go work today in my vineyard.’
- Ezek 18:27Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
- Rom 5:20The law came in besides, that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly;
- Luke 7:29When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be just, having been baptized with John’s baptism.
- Luke 13:30Behold, there are some who are last who will be first, and there are some who are first who will be last.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 15:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.